Communication apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

This invention provides a first communication apparatus, which makes a facsimile communication via a packet communication network and can describe different contents image header information each including a date, time, source information, destination information, and the like in image data having a predetermined number of pixels upon sending the image data to a plurality of destinations, and a communication method. This invention also provides a second communication apparatus which makes a facsimile communication via a packet communication network and has a first mode in which image header information such as a date, time, source information, destination information, and the like can be described in image data having a predetermined number of pixels and can send the image data, and a second mode in which image data having one of various resolutions and an indefinite number of pixels can be sent.

This is a continuation of prior application Ser. No. 11/323,853 filed onDec. 29, 2005, which is a continuation of application Ser. No.11/009,620 filed on Dec. 10, 2004, which, in turn, is a continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 09/790,108 filed on Feb. 21, 2001, to whichpriority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 is claimed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a communication apparatus and methodfor sending/receiving e-mail messages appended with image data.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, as computers have prevailed and networked, e-mailmessages used to send/receive character information via the Internet areprevalent. Files of various formats can be attached to e-mail messagesin addition to e-mail text as character information.

There has also been proposed Internet FAX which sends/receives bitmapimages by attaching as an attachment file of an e-mail message a TIFF(Tagged Image File Format) file in which information called a tagwritten with a recording format of data is prepared in the header ofimage data.

On the other hand, in FAX via a telephone line, sending information suchas a date, time, source telephone number, destination name, and the likeis often appended to the image header of image data to be sent.

FIG. 13 shows the conventional connection relationship among apparatusesassociated with sending, receiving, and print processes of e-mailinformation. An example in which an e-mail message is sent from one oftwo computers installed with e-mail software for sending/receivinge-mail messages, i.e., from an e-mail client 11 to the other, i.e., ane-mail client 15 using an Internet 13 will be explained below using FIG.13.

The e-mail client 11 inputs text comment of an e-mail message anddestination information as the user name of the e-mail client 15 from aninput unit such as a keyboard or the like, and sends the e-mail messageto a Mail server•POP server 12 in accordance with SMTP (Simple MailTransfer Protocol) as one of protocols used to transfer Internet mailmessages between computers.

If there are a plurality of recipients, the SMTP allows the user todescribe a plurality of destinations as destination information of agiven mail message and to send the mail message to these recipients. Amail server group such as the Mail server-POP server 12 sends such mailmessage to all the destinations as independent mail message.

Upon receiving the e-mail message, the Mail server•POP server 12determines based on the destination information of the received e-mailmessage that the destination of the e-mail message is a Mail server•POPserver 14, and sends this e-mail message to the Mail server-POP server14 via the Internet 13. Upon receiving the e-mail message, the Mailserver•PnotOP server 14 saves the received e-mail message in ane-mailbox.

The e-mail client 15 checks at given time intervals by e-mail softwareif a new e-mail message has come in the e-mailbox of the Mail server•POPserver 14, in accordance with POP3 (Post Office Protocol-Version3) asone of protocols used to download the e-mail message delivered to thatclient via the Internet. If a new e-mail message has come in thee-mailbox, the e-mail client 15 downloads that e-mail message, and opensit, thus reading the e-mail message sent from the e-mail client 11. Whentext or an attachment file of the received e-mail message is to beprinted, a printer driver or application installed in the e-mail client15 is launched to print the e-mail text and attachment file using aprinter 16.

On the other hand, image data read by an Internet FAX 18 in FIG. 13 isalso sent to an Internet FAX 17 by the same method as that describedabove. More specifically, image data read by the Internet FAX 18 is sentto the Mail server•POP server 12, is then sent to the Mail server•POPserver 14 via the Internet 13, and is saved in the Mail server•POPserver 14. This image data is sent to the Internet FAX 17, and isprinted by the Internet FAX 17.

In this case, when there are a plurality of recipients, the internet FAX18 generates image data without describing any recipient information inthe image header of the image data, and describes a plurality ofdestinations in destination information of an e-mail message to sendidentical information.

When an e-mail message attached with image data is sent in theconventional system mentioned above, the communication protocol of thee-mail message can simultaneously send the e-mail message to a pluralityof destinations without describing any image header information in imagedata. However, when sending information pertains to a plurality ofdestinations such as a date, time, source information, destinationnames, and the like are described in the image header of image data,destination information cannot be described due to its large size.

When an e-mail message attached with image data is sent in theconventional system mentioned above, image data having a predeterminedsending resolution and a predetermined number of pixels can be sent to asingle destination while giving a date, time, source telephone number,destination name, and the like in its image header. However, when imagedata having one of various resolutions and an indefinite number ofpixels is sent while giving sending information such as a date, time,source telephone number, destination name, and the like, the charactersize becomes unnaturally too large or small, or characters may falloutside a paper sheet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made to solve the conventional problems,and has as its first object to provide a first communication apparatus,which provides facsimile communications via a packet communicationnetwork and can send image data having a predetermined number of pixelsto a plurality of destinations by describing different contents of imageheader information such as a date, time, source information, destinationinformation, and the like in the image data, a first communicationmethod, and a storage medium that stores a communication control programfor controlling that communication method.

It is the second object of the present invention to provide a secondcommunication apparatus which provides facsimile communications via apacket communication network, and has a first mode capable of sendingimage data having a predetermined number of pixels by describing imageheader information such as a date, time, source information, destinationinformation, and the like in the image data, and a second mode capableof sending image data having one of various resolutions and anindefinite number of pixels, its control method, and a storage mediumthat stores a communication control program for controlling thatcommunication method.

In order to achieve the above objects, the first communication apparatusaccording to the present invention has the following arrangement. Acommunication apparatus for providing a facsimile communication via apacket communication network, comprises image data acquisition means foracquiring image data having a predetermined resolution, conversion meansfor converting the image data into image data having a predeterminednumber of pixels, sending information acquisition means for acquiringsending information of the image data, generation means for generatingsending information image data using the sending information, andsending means for generating an e-mail message on the basis of thesending information, generating composite image data by combining theconverted image data and the sending information image data, and sendingthe e-mail message attached with the composite image data.

In order to achieve the above objects, the first communication methodaccording to the present invention has the following arrangement. Acommunication method for making a facsimile communication via a packetcommunication network, comprises the image data acquisition step ofacquiring image data having a predetermined resolution, a conversionstep of converting the image data acquired in the image data acquisitionstep into image data having a predetermined number of pixels, a sendinginformation acquisition step of acquiring sending information of theimage data, a generation step of generating sending information imagedata using the sending information acquired in the sending informationacquisition step, and a sending step of generating an e-mail message onthe basis of the sending information acquired in the sending informationacquisition step, generating composite image data by combining the imagedata converted in the conversion step and the sending information imagedata, and sending the e-mail message attached with the composite imagedata.

In order to achieve the above objects, the first storage mediumaccording to the present invention has the following arrangement. Astorage medium stores a control program for a communication apparatusfor making a facsimile communication via a packet communication network,and a control program comprises an image data acquisition step code ofacquiring image data having a predetermined resolution, a conversionstep code of converting the image data acquired in the image dataacquisition step into image data having a predetermined number ofpixels, a sending information acquisition step code of acquiring sendinginformation of the image data, a generation step code of generatingsending information image data using the sending information acquired inthe sending information acquisition step, and a sending step code ofgenerating an e-mail message on the basis of the sending informationacquired in the sending information acquisition step, generatingcomposite image data by combining the image data converted in theconversion step and the sending information image data, and sending thee-mail message attached with the composite image data.

In order to achieve the above objects, the second communicationapparatus according to the present invention has the followingarrangement. That is, a communication apparatus for providing afacsimile communication via a packet communication network, comprisesmode detection means for detecting whether a first or second operationmode is designated, image data acquisition means for acquiring imagedata having a predetermined resolution, sending information acquisitionmeans for acquiring sending information of the image data, conversionmeans for, when the first operation mode is detected, converting theimage data into image data having a predetermined number of pixels,generation means for, when the first operation mode is detected,generating sending information image data using the sending information,and sending means for, when the first operation mode is detected,generating an e-mail message on the basis of the sending information,generating composite image data by combining the converted image dataand the sending information image data, and sending the e-mail messageattached with the composite image data, and for, when the secondoperation mode is detected, generating an e-mail message on the basis ofthe sending information, and sending the e-mail message attached withthe image data.

In order to achieve the above objects, the second communication methodaccording to the present invention has the following arrangement Acommunication-method for making a facsimile communication via a packetcommunication network, comprises the mode detection step of detectingwhether a first or second operation mode is designated, an image dataacquisition step of acquiring image data having a predeterminedresolution, a sending information acquisition step of acquiring sendinginformation of the image data, a conversion step of converting, when thefirst operation mode is detected, an image data into image data having apredetermined number of pixels, a generation step of generating, when afirst operation mode is detected, sending information image data usingthe sending information acquired in the sending information acquisitionstep, and a sending step of generating, when the first operation mode isdetected, an e-mail message on the basis of the sending information,generating composite image data by combining the converted image dataand the sending information image data, and sending the e-mail messageattached with the composite image data, and of generating, when a secondoperation mode is detected, generating an e-mail message on the basis ofthe sending information, and sending the e-mail message attached withthe image data.

In order to achieve the above objects, a second storage medium accordingto the present invention has the following arrangement. A storage mediumstores a control program for a communication apparatus for making afacsimile communication via a packet communication network, and acontrol program comprises a mode detection step code of detectingwhether a first or second operation mode is designated, an image dataacquisition step code of acquiring image data having a predeterminedresolution, a sending information acquisition step code of acquiringsending information of the image data, a conversion step code ofconverting, when the first operation mode is detected, the image datainto image data having a predetermined number of pixels, a generationstep code of generating, when the first operation mode is detected,sending information image data using the sending information acquired inthe sending information acquisition step, and a sending step code ofgenerating, when the first operation mode is detected, an e-mail messageon the basis of the sending information, generating composite image databy combining the converted image data and the sending information imagedata, and sending the e-mail message attached with the composite imagedata, and of generating, when the second operation mode is detected,generating an e-mail message on the basis of the sending information,and sending the e-mail message attached with the image data.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate thesame or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and,together with the description, serve to explain the principles of theinvention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a system using acommunication apparatus according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the arrangement of an imageinput/output device unit of the communication apparatus according to theembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a reader unit ofthe communication apparatus according to the embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a core unit in thecommunication apparatus according to the embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a formatter unit inthe communication apparatus according to the embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a facsimile unit in the communicationapparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows the program configuration in a network I/F unit in thecommunication apparatus according to the embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing an e-mail reception process in thecommunication apparatus according to the embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing a data decode process upon receiving ane-mail message in the communication apparatus according to theembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a flow chart of an e-mail sending mode in the communicationapparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart of an Internet FAX sending mode in thecommunication apparatus according to the embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 12A and 12B show examples in which different contents of imageheader information are attached to image data to be sent by thecommunication apparatus according to the embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional e-mail system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described indetail in accordance with the accompanying drawings.

Note that the scope of the present invention is not limited to therelative positions of building components, numerical values, and thelike described in this embodiment unless otherwise specified.

<Arrangement of Internet FAX>

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an Internet FAX 20of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the Internet FAX 20 comprises areader unit 1, printer unit 2, and image input/output controller 3.

The reader unit 1 reads a document image, and outputs image datacorresponding to the document image to the printer unit 2 and imageinput/output controller 3. The printer unit 2 prints an imagecorresponding to image data sent from the reader unit 1 and imageinput/output controller 3 on a print sheet.

The image input/output controller 3 comprises a facsimile unit 4, fileunit 5, network I/F (network interface) unit 7, formatter unit 8, imagememory unit 9, and core unit 10, and is connected to the reader unit 1and a telephone line 19.

The facsimile unit 4 is connected to the telephone line 19, expandscompressed image data received via the telephone line 19, and sendsexpanded image data to the core unit 10. Also, the facsimile unit 4compresses image data sent from the core unit 10, and sends thecompressed image data onto the telephone line 19.

The file unit 5 is connected to a magnetooptical disk drive 6 and thecore unit 10, compresses image data sent from the core unit 10, andwrites the compressed image data in a magnetooptical disk set in themagnetooptical disk drive 6 together with a search keyword. Conversely,the file unit 5 searches compressed image data stored in themagnetooptical disk on the basis of a keyword sent from the core unit10, expands the compressed image data found by search, and sends theexpanded image data to the core unit 10.

The network I/F unit 7 is an interface for connecting the imageinput/output controller 3 to the network, to which an e-mail client 11,Mail server-POP server 12, and Internet 13 that spreads all over theworld are connected. The network I/F unit 7 is also connected to a harddisk 18, and various data received in the Mail format via the networkare sent to and saved in the hard disk 18.

The formatter unit 8 rasterizes code data which is sent from a computerconnected to the Internet 13 or the like via the network I/F unit 7 andconverts an image into printable image data, and sends that image datato the printer unit 2.

The image memory unit 9 temporarily stores image data. The core unit 10has a role of controlling the data flow in respective blocks of thereader unit 1, facsimile unit 4, file unit 5, network I/F unit 7,formatter unit 8, and image memory unit 9.

Note that various e-mail servers such as a Mail server•POP server 14,e-mail client 15, printer 16 and internet fax 17 are connected to theInternet 13, as shown in FIG. 1, and e-mail messages can be exchangedamong many people via these e-mail servers.

<Arrangement of Image Input/Output Device>

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the arrangement of an imageinput/output device 21 as shown in FIG. 1 that integrates the readerunit 1 and printer unit 2. The arrangement of the reader unit 1 andprinter unit 2 will be described below using FIG. 2.

When a document feeder 101 mounted on the reader unit 1 feeds documentsone by one in turn from the last page onto a platen glass 102, a lamp103 is turned on, and a scanner unit 104 begins to move. Upon movementof the scanner unit 104, a document is scanned by exposure. Lightreflected by the document upon exposure scan is guided to a CCD imagesensor (to be referred to as a CCD hereinafter) 109 via mirrors 105,106, and 107 and a lens 108. The scanned document image is opticallyread by the CCD 109 and is photoelectrically converted into image datato be output from the CCD 109. The output image data undergoes apredetermined process, and is then sent to the printer unit 2 and thecore unit 10 of the image input/output controller 3 via a video bus (notshown). Note that the document is exhausted from the surface of theplaten glass 102 after the end of scan.

Image data output from the reader unit 1 is input to a laser driver 201of the printer unit 2. The laser driver 201 drives a laser emission unit221 to emit a laser beam on the basis of the input image data. The laserbeam emitted by driving the laser emission unit 221 hits the surface ofa photosensitive drum 202 while being scanned, thus forming anelectrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 202based on the laser beam. The electrostatic latent image formed on thephotosensitive drum 202 is developed by a developing agent supplied froma developer 203.

Simultaneously with the beginning of laser beam irradiation, a printsheet P (not identified) is fed from one of cassettes 204 and 205. Theprint sheet P is fed to the gap between the photosensitive drum 202 anda transfer unit 206, and the developing agent image formed on thesurface of the photosensitive drum 202 is transferred onto the fed printsheet P by the transfer unit 206. The print sheet P is conveyed to afixing unit 207, and the developing agent image is fixed on the printsheet P by a heat compression process of the fixing unit 207. The printsheet P is exhausted by exhaust rollers 208 and is stored in acorresponding bin by a sorter 200.

In a default setup, i.e., if no specific sorting mode is set in thesorter 200, the print sheet P is stored in the uppermost bin. When adouble-sided print mode on the print sheet P is set, after the printsheet is conveyed to the position of the exhaust rollers 208, therotational direction of the exhaust rollers 208 is reversed to guide theprint sheet to a re-feed convey path 210 by a flapper 209.

When a multiple print mode is set, the flapper 209 is switched not toconvey the print sheet P to the exhaust rollers 209 but to guide it there-feed convey path 210. The print sheet P guided to the re-feed conveypath 210 is fed again to the gap between the photosensitive drum 202 andtransfer unit 206 at the aforementioned timing.

<Arrangement of Reader Unit>

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of the reader unit 1of the Internet FAX 20. The arrangement of the reader unit 1 will bedescribed below using FIG. 3. Image data output from the CCD 109 isA/D-converted into digital data by an A/D.cndot.SH unit 110, and thedigital data then undergoes a shading correction process. The processeddigital data is sent to an image processor 111 or an I/F (interface)113.

Data containing image data sent to the image processor 111 isselectively sent to the printer unit 2 or a CPU 114, or to the I/F 113.When the image processor 111 sends data containing image data to the I/F113, that data is further sent from the I/F 113 to the core unit 10.Note that the I/F 113 may also send data containing image data sent fromthe core unit 10 to the image processor 111.

Note that data containing image data sent to the image processor 111 andI/F 113 is controlled by the CPU 114 on the basis of setup contents at aconsole 115. For example, when a “trimming copy mode” for copying aftera trimming process is set at the console 115, the CPU 114 controls theimage processor 111 to execute the trimming process, and then instructsto send data containing the image data which has undergone the trimmingprocess to the printer unit 2.

On the other hand, when a “facsimile sending mode” is set at the console115, the CPU 114 instructs to send image data and control commands ofthe “facsimile sending mode” to the core unit 10 via the I/F 113 inaccordance with a control program stored in a memory 116. In this case,the memory 116 is also used as a work area of the CPU 114.

<Arrangement of Core Unit>

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of the core unit 10 ofthe image input/output controller 3. The core unit 10 has an I/F 122with the reader 1, sends image data of data containing image data sentfrom the reader unit 1 to an image data processor 121 via the I/F 122,and sends control commands sent from the reader unit 1 to a CPU 123.

The image data processor 121 executes image processes such as an imagerotation process, zoom process, and the like of the received image dataas needed, and sends the image data that has undergone the imageprocesses to the facsimile unit 4, file unit 5, or network I/F unit 7via an I/F 120 on the basis of the control commands sent from the readerunit 1. Also, the image data processor 121 sends print data which isreceived via the network I/F unit 7 and represents an image to theformatter unit 8 to rasterize it to image data, and sends the image datato the facsimile unit 4 or to the printer unit 2 via the I/F 122.

On the other hand, image data received by the facsimile unit 4 is sentto the image data processor 121, which sends it to the printer unit 2,file unit 5, or network I/F unit 7. Furthermore, image data sent fromthe file unit 5 is sent to the image data processor 121, which sends itto the printer unit 2, facsimile unit 4, or network I/F unit 7.

The CPU 123 controls sending of data among blocks, and execution ofimage processes by the image data processor 121 in accordance with acontrol program stored in a memory 124 and control commands sent fromthe reader unit 1. The memory 124 is also used as a work area of the CPU123.

The Internet FAX 20 of this embodiment is a communication apparatuswhich executes processes for reading a document image, printing animage, sending/receiving an image, saving an image, and exchanging datawith a computer, and so on around the core unit 10.

<Operation of Formatter Unit>

FIG. 5 is a block diagram for explaining the operation of the formatterunit 8. Data created by an application such as word processing softwareor the like of the e-mail client 11 is converted by a printer driverinto a page description language (PDL) such as Postscript (which copeswith both text and graphics and can output text and graphics with highquality irrespective of the printer resolution) or the like that aprinter can print. The converted data is sent to the formatter 8 via thenetwork I/F unit 7, the core unit 10, and a core I/F 220. In theformatter unit 8, a CPU 222 interprets the received converted data, andconverts it into image data using a Font ROM 223 and DRAM 225. Uponreceiving this image data, an image processing circuit 226 executes aprocess on the image data in synchronism with a sync signal generated bya video clock 228, and then sends the image data to the core unit 10 viaa video I/F 227. The sent image data is printed by the printer unit 2. Aprogram ROM 224 stores a program for controlling the aforementionedoperation. In this manner, PDL data such as Postscript data or the likethat a printer can print can be printed.

Note that the formatter unit 8 can be changed in units of PDLs, theprogram ROM 224 differs in units of PDLs and their versions, and theuser can select a PDL and its version according to user's purpose.

<Operation of Facsimile Unit>

FIG. 6 is a block diagram for explaining the operation of the facsimileunit 4. An NCU (Network Control Unit) 230 is a circuit for connecting aFAX to a telephone set, i.e., a circuit for switching a line between thetelephone set and FAX by off-hook state of a handset upon receiving acall, detecting a ringing signal upon reception, and holding a DC loopsignal from a telephone exchange during telephone conversation. A MODEM(MOdulator/DEModulator) 231 is a modulation/demodulation circuit forconverting an analog signal into a digital signal or vice versa.

<Flow of Received Image Data>

The flow of image data will be described below. Image data to bereceived will be explained first. Image data sent from another FAX isreceived by the NCU 230, and is converted by the MODEM 231 into adigital signal. The converted digital data is data obtained by encodingimage data by MH (Modified Huffman) coding, MR (Modified Read) coding,MMR (Modified Modified Read) coding, JBIG (Joint Bi-level Image CodingExperts Group) coding, or the like. The converted digital data isdecoded by an encoding/decoding circuit 236, and the decoded data issaved in a DRAM 235. The decoded image data undergoes resolutionconversion by a resolution converter 234, and then undergoes an imageprocess by an image processing circuit 237. The data that has undergonethe image process is sent to the core unit 10 via a video I/F 238 insynchronism with a clock generated by a video clock 239, and is printedby the printer unit 2.

<Flow of Sent Image Data>

The flow of image data to be sent will be explained below. When sending,image data read by the reader unit 1 is rasterized on the DRAM 235 viathe core unit 10, video I/F 238, and image processing circuit 237 insynchronism with a clock generated by the video clock 239. This dataundergoes resolution conversion by the resolution converter 234, and isencoded by MH, MR, MMR, or JBIG by the encoding/decoding circuit 236.The encoded data is converted into an analog signal by the MODEM 231,and the analog signal is sent by the NCU (Network Control Unit) 230.

Note that a CPU 232 controls the aforementioned operation, and a programROM 233 stores a program for operating the CPU 232. Note that thefacsimile unit 4 is detachable, and can be attached in correspondencewith user's purpose.

<Program Configuration of Network I/F Unit>

FIG. 7 shows the program configuration in the network I/F unit 7 of theInternet FAX 20.

The network I/F unit 7 is comprised of operation programs of an IP(Internet Protocol) 250 as a protocol of the network layer, a TCP(Transmission Control Protocol)/UDP (User Datagram Protocol) 251 as aprotocol of the transport layer, and an application layer protocol 252as a protocol of the application layer.

The IP 250 is the Internet protocol for providing a service fordelivering a message from a source host to a destination host incollaboration with relay nodes such as a router and the like. The mostimportant information upon delivering a message is source anddestination addresses, which are managed by the IP 250. The IP 250 alsoprovides routing for determining a route in the network along which amessage is to be delivered to the destination host in accordance withaddress information.

The TCP/UDP 251 is the protocol of the transport layer that provides aservice for delivering a message from a sending application process to areceiving application process. As the difference between the TCP andUDP, the TCP is a connection type service and guarantees highreliability of communications, but the UDP is a connectionless typeservice which does not guarantee reliability.

The application layer protocol 252 specifies a plurality of protocols,which include FTP (File Transfer Protocol) as a file sending service,SNMP as a network management protocol, LPD as a server protocol for aprinter print process, HTTPd as a protocol of a WWW (World Wide Web)server, SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) as an e-mailsending/receiving protocol, POP3 (Post Office Protocol-Version3) as ane-mail download protocol, and the like.

<Reception and Print of E-Mail Message by Internet FAX>

A method of receiving an e-mail message sent from the e-mail clientshown in FIG. 1 by the Internet FAX 20 via the Internet 13, and printingthe received e-mail message will be explained below. Assume that thee-mail client 15 is installed with e-mail software for sending/receivinge-mail messages in advance.

In FIG. 1, the e-mail client 15 inputs e-mail text and destinationinformation as an e-mail address of the Internet FAX 20 from, e.g., akeyboard so as to send an e-mail message to the Internet FAX 20. Thee-mail client 15 then sends the e-mail message to the Mail server•POPserver 14 in accordance with SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol).

Upon receiving the e-mail message, the Mail server•POP server 14determines based on its destination information that the destination isthe Mail server•POP server 12, and sends the e-mail message to the Mailserver•POP server 12 via the Internet 13.

The sent e-mail message is received by the Mail server•POP server 12. Ifthe e-mail address of the received e-mail message directly designatesthe Internet FAX 20, the received e-mail message is sent to the InternetFAX 20 using the SMTP protocol. On the other hand, if the e-mail addressof the received e-mail message designates an e-mailbox in the Mailserver•POP server 12, the received e-mail message is stored in thee-mailbox.

<Reception and Print of E-Mail Message by Internet FAX>

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the operation from reception to print ofan e-mail message by the aforementioned Internet FAX. Upon receiving ane-mail message in accordance with SMTP in step S300, an e-mail messageis acquired in accordance with the SMTP protocol in step S309. The flowthen advances to step S306 to decode the received e-mail data.

On the other hand, POP3 reception is periodically launched to check ifan e-mail message has come in the e-mailbox in the Mail server•POPserver 12 designated by the e-mail address. In step S301, the POP3reception is launched to generate an interrupt.

Upon launching POP3 reception in step S301, the POP3 reception logs inthe Mail server•POP server 12 in step S302 and acquires list informationof e-mail messages saved in the e-mailbox in the POP server in stepS303. In step S304, list information acquired when the POP3 receptionwas launched previously and logged in is compared with that acquired bythe current login to check if the current list information includes anewly added e-mail message.

If it is determined in step S304 that no newly added e-mail message ispresent, the flow jumps to step S308 to end a series of operations ofthe POP3 reception. If a newly added e-mail message is found in stepS304, the flow advances to step S305 to acquire e-mail data inaccordance with the POP3 protocol, and the acquired data is then decodedin step S306.

In step S306, the received e-mail data is decoded to a source fileformat using the aforementioned SMTP or POP3 protocol, as will bedescribed later using FIG. 9. In step S307, a print or transfer processis executed using the decoded data. The print process instructs theprinter unit 2 to print, and the transfer process instructs to transferdata to a sending device such as the facsimile unit 4 or the like, thusending a series of operations.

In step S307, the acquired e-mail data is printed or transferred. Inaddition, an e-mail information list may be displayed on the console115. When an e-mail message displayed in the list is selected, thecontents of the selected e-mail message may be displayed on the console115 or may be printed or transferred.

<Data Decode Upon Receiving E-Mail Message>

The data decode process in step S306 in FIG. 8 will be described indetail below using the flow chart in FIG. 9 which shows the data decodeprocess of received data upon receiving an e-mail message. In step S320,a MIME header process for restoring the received e-mail message tosource binary data is executed to determine the e-mail language used.

If it is determined that the e-mail message is written in Japanese usingJIS codes, the e-mail message is converted into SJIS codes in step S321,so that printed text can be read as Japanese text. The flow thenadvances to step S322, and the contents described in the MIME header arediscriminated to check if the e-mail message includes an attachmentfile. If no attachment file is attached to the e-mail message in stepS322, the flow jumps to step S327, thus ending the data decode process.

On the other hand, if an attachment file is attached to the e-mailmessage in step S322, text that describes the file name like “attachmentfile: test.tif” is appended to e-mail text to inform the user of thepresence of an attachment file in e-mail text in step S323.

It is checked in step S324 if the attachment file described in the MIMEheader is a TIFF (tagged image file format) file as a file format forsaving a bitmap image. If the attachment file is not a TIFF file, theseries of operations end. On the other hand, if the attachment file is aTIFF file in step S324, data encoded by BASE64 in the MIME header, i.e.,6-bit data for 4 bytes, is converted into 8-bit data for 3 bytes, thusdecoding BASE64 as a data conversion format used to send mail messagevia the Internet in step S325. In step S326, a TIFF file is created,thus ending the series of operations.

<E-Mail Sending Mode>

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the “e-mail sending mode” of theInternet FAX 20. In the “e-mail sending mode”, the Internet FAX 20 ofthe present invention inputs sending information including a date, time,destination address, source information, comment, and the like andattaches image data read via a scanner as an attachment file of ane-mail message, thus sending that e-mail message to the e-mail client 15or the like via the Internet 13. The flow chart of the “e-mail sendingmode” will be described below.

If the “e-mail sending mode” is selected in step S350, the Internet FAX20 instructs the reader unit 1 to set setup values for reading imagedata in step S351. Note that the parameters that can be set as setupvalues include, e.g., a setup of image read size (A5, B5, A4, B4, A3), asetup of color/monochrome switching, a setup of resolution (100 dpi to600 dpi), a setup of text/photo/text-photo mode switching, a setup ofdouble-sided/single-sided document switching, and the like.

In step S352, the Internet FAX 20 instructs to input sending informationrequired for sending image data such as a date, time, destinationaddress, source information, comment, and the like at the console 115.In step S353, the Internet FAX 20 further instructs the reader unit 1 toscan a-document set on the platen glass 102 and to read image data. TheInternet FAX 20 instructs to compress the read image data by the MHformat in step S354, and to create a TIFF file in step S355. In stepS356, the Internet FAX 20 instructs to create an e-mail header and MIMEinformation using the destination address, e-mail text data, andattachment TIFF file information. If a plurality of destinations towhich an e-mail message is sent are selected, the Internet FAX 20instructs to describe a plurality of destination addresses in the To:field of the e-mail header upon creating the e-mail header. In stepS357, the Internet FAX 20 instructs to encode the TIFF file attached tothe e-mail message using BASE64. In step S358, the Internet FAX 20instructs to attach the data created in the aforementioned sequence toan e-mail message that describes a plurality of destination addresses inaccordance with the SMTP protocol, and to send the e-mail message. Theflow then advances to step S359 to end a series of operations.

<Internet FAX Sending Mode>

FIG. 11 is a flow chart of an “Internet FAX sending mode”. The “InternetFAX sending mode” is a function of inputting sending informationincluding a date, time, destination address, source information,comment, and the like, reading image data from a scanner, creating aTIFF file that complies with the Internet FAX specifications bycombining sending information image data created based on the sendinginformation with the read image data, attaching the TIFF file to ane-mail message, and sending the image data to the Internet FAX 17 thatcomplies with the Internet FAX specifications.

The flow chart of the “Internet FAX sending mode” will be explainedbelow. In the flow chart to be described below, the same step numbersdenote the steps that execute the same processes as those described inFIG. 10, and a description of such processes will be omitted. If theInternet FAX sending mode is launched in step S370, setup values forreading image data are set in the reader unit 1. Parameters that can beset as setup values are the same as those in, e.g., the e-mail sendingmode, but the resolution is fixed at 200×200 dpi, a read mode is fixedto be a monochrome mode, and a color read mode is inhibited.

In step S352, the Internet FAX 20 instructs to input sending informationrequired for sending image data such as a date, time, destinationaddress, source information, comment, and the like at the console 115 asin the e-mail sending mode. In step S352, if two locations, i.e.,“tokyo@tokyo.ganon.co.jp (Tokyo home office)” and“oosaka@oosaka.ganon.co.jp (Osaka branch office)” are selected asdestinations, “2” is set in the number of destinations.

In step S353, a document set on the platen glass 102 of the reader unit1 is scanned to read image data.

In step S371, the Internet FAX 20 instructs to execute an image paddingprocess. In this case, if a document having a document size other thanA4 is set on the platen glass 102, the Internet FAX 20 instructs toexecute a resolution conversion process for zooming the document size tothe A4 size, and to execute a padding process for adding white pixels sothat the number of pixels in the main scan direction equals 1,728.

Note that the console 115 has a user mode (not shown). As one item ofthe user mode, a sending information image data (header) paste mode forselecting whether “to paste sending information image data (header) onimage data” or not can be selected. Note that “to paste sendinginformation image data (header) on image data” means a compositionmethod setting mode for combining image data and sending informationimage data obtained from the sending information.

If the “to paste sending information image data (header) on image data”mode is selected, a setting mode for “externally or internally appendingsending information image data (header) to image data” can be selected.“Internally appending sending information image data (header) to imagedata” is a setting mode for superposing and combining image data andsending information image data so that sending information is output tooverlap a predetermined position on an image obtained by outputting theimage data. “Externally appending sending information image data(header) to image data” is a setting mode for combining the image dataand sending information image data at neighboring positions so thatsending information is output at a predetermined position outside animage obtained by outputting the image data, e.g., at a position abovethe image. FIG. 12A shows an example of a sending information image(header image) upon outputting sending information image data. FIG. 12Ashows a sending information image (header image) that describes thesending date, sending time, an e-mail address of a sender as an exampleof source information, the nickname of a recipient (for example, “Tokyohome office” is used as a destination of the first sending process) asan example of destination information, page number, and the like. FIG.12B shows a sending information image (header image) that describes thesending date, sending time, an e-mail address of a sender as an exampleof source information, the nickname of a recipient (for example, “Osakabranch office” is used as a destination of the first sending process) asan example of destination information, page number, and the like.

In step S372, the sending information image data paste mode as the usermode is checked. If it is determined that “sending information imagedata (header) is not pasted on image data”, the flow jumps to step S354without executing any paste process of sending information image data.On the other hand, if it is determined in step S372 that “sendinginformation image data (header) is pasted on image data”, the flowadvances to step S373. If the sending information image data (header)appending mode is set to “externally append sending information imagedata (header)” in step S373, the flow advances to step S374 to execute asending information image data (header) external appending process.

On the other hand, if the sending information image data (header)appending mode is set to “internally append sending information imagedata (header)” in step S373, the flow advances to step S375 to execute asending information image data (header) internal appending process.After that, the flow advances to step S354 to execute an image encodeprocess.

The flow then advances to step S355 to create a TIFF file, and an e-mailheader and MIME information are created in step S356. Furthermore, theflow advances to step S357 to execute a BASE64 encode process. The flowthen advances to step S358 to execute an SMTP sending process, thussending an e-mail message attached with image data that contains sendinginformation image data to “tokyo@tokyo.ganon.co.jp (Tokyo home office)”.

In step S376, the number of destinations is decremented by 1 after thee-mail message attached with image data that contains sendinginformation image data has been sent, and the flow advances to stepS377. If the number of destinations is zero in step S377, the series ofoperations end in step S378. On the other hand, if the initial number ofdestinations is 2 and the number of destinations decremented by 1 (1) isnot zero as in the above example, the flow returns to step S372 torepeat the same operations as in the first sending process.

In the second sending process, in place of the sending information imagedata of the sending information image (header image) shown in FIG. 12A,sending information image data of a sending information image (headerimage) that includes the recipient's nickname “Osaka branch office” isappended, and image data containing that sending information image datais sent to “oosaka@oosaka.ganon.co.jp (Osaka branch office)”.

In the example described using FIG. 11, image data containing differentsending information image data is sent to a plurality of destinations byrepeating a method of creating image data containing sending informationimage data for each destination, creating an e-mail message to be sent,and attaching the image data containing the sending information imagedata to the created e-mail message.

However, the method of sending image data containing different sendinginformation image data to a plurality of destinations is not limited tothe above specific method. For example, image data containing differentsending information image data may be sent to a plurality ofdestinations by creating image data containing corresponding sendinginformation image data for each destination, creating an e-mail message,attaching the image data containing the sending information image dataof each destination to the e-mail message, and repetitively sending thee-mail message.

When image data that does not contain any header image information is tobe sent to a plurality of destinations, an e-mail message for aplurality of destinations is created, and image data is attached to thee-mail message for the plurality of destinations, thus sending imagedata that does not contain any header image information to the pluralityof destinations.

In the above embodiment, the communication pattern of the Internet FAXhas been explained using a Simple Mode. Alternatively, othercommunication methods such as a real-time mode, full mode, and the likethat require negotiation may be used. In the above description, TCP/IPis used as the network communication protocol. Alternatively, the sameeffect can be obtained using other communication protocols such asIPX/SPX as a network OS, Apple Talk, and the like.

Furthermore, BASE64 is used as the e-mail decode method. Alternatively,uuencode, BinHex, and the like may be used. Furthermore, in the abovedescription, a TIFF file is printed. Alternatively, other image fileformat such as JPEG (joint photographic experts group), GIF (graphicsinterchange format), PICT, BMP (bitmap), and the like may be used. Also,the image compression format is not limited to MH, but MR, MMR, JBIG,RLE, and the like may be used. In the above description, a hard disk isused as the information recording device, but the same effect can beobtained using other recording devices such as a semiconductor memory,optical disk, and the like.

In the above description, a communication apparatus that sends an e-mailmessage attached with image data containing sending information imagedata or the like using the Internet has been exemplified. However, thepath of the image data sent by the communication apparatus is notlimited to the Internet, but other packet communication networks such asa LAN and the like may be used.

As described above, the Internet FAX 20 of this embodiment comprises thesecond mode for setting an arbitrary one of a plurality of readresolutions upon reading image data from a scanner, reading image datain accordance with the set resolution, and sending e-mail messageattached with the read image data having the arbitrary resolution, andthe first mode for sending an e-mail message attached with image datacontaining sending information image data obtained by appending sendinginformation image data such as a date, time, sending information,destination information, and the like to image data read at apredetermined resolution.

In the second mode, since no header image information such as a date,time, source information destination information, and the like isappended to the read image data, a plurality of read resolutions can beselected while avoiding characters of header image information frombecoming unnaturally large/small, and from falling outside a printsheet.

In the first mode, a read resolution which is high enough to be usedordinarily can be selected, and sending information image data such as adate, time, source information destination information, and the like canbe appended to the read image data. Also, since the first mode can beswitched not to append any header upon sending, many choices can beprovided to users, thus improving convenience.

Furthermore, in the first mode, whether header image information isappended outside an image or above the uppermost portion of an image canbe switched upon sending an image. When header image information isappended outside the image, the image size increases by the header imageinformation but the source image can remain the same. When the headerinformation is appended to be superposed on the uppermost portion of theimage, the image size remains the same.

Note that the Internet FAX 20 of this embodiment comprises the first andsecond modes, as described above, and can selectively use these firstand second modes. However, the Internet FAX 20 is not limited to theabove specific arrangement. For example, the Internet FAX 20 maycomprise the first or second mode alone.

OTHER EMBODIMENTS

Note that the present invention may be applied to either a systemconstituted by a plurality of devices (e.g., a host computer, aninterface device, a reader, a printer, and the like), or an apparatusconsisting of a single equipment (e.g., a copying machine, a facsimileapparatus, or the like).

The objects of the present invention are also achieved by supplying astorage medium (or recording medium), which records a program code of asoftware program that can implement the functions of the above-mentionedembodiments to the system or apparatus, and reading out and executingthe program code stored in the storage medium by a computer (or a CPU orMPU) of the system or apparatus. In this case, the program code itselfread out from the storage medium implements the functions of theabove-mentioned embodiments, and the storage medium which stores theprogram code constitutes the present invention. The functions of theabove-mentioned embodiments may be implemented not only by executing thereadout program code by the computer but also by some or all of actualprocessing operations executed by an operating system (OS) running onthe computer on the basis of an instruction of the program code.

Furthermore, the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments may beimplemented by some or all of actual processing operations executed by aCPU or the like arranged in a function extension card or a functionextension unit, which is inserted in or connected to the computer, afterthe program code read out from the storage medium is written in a memoryof the extension card or unit.

To recapitulate, according to the present invention, a communicationapparatus and method which comprise a second mode in which an image readcondition can be selected from a plurality of read conditions, and ane-mail message attached with image data which is read at an arbitraryresolution according to the selected condition and has an indefinitenumber of pixels can be sent, and a first mode in which an image is readat a predetermined resolution, header information such as a date, time,sending information destination information, and the like is appended toimage data obtained by converting the read image data into image datahaving a predetermined number of pixels, and an e-mail message appendedwith the image data containing the sending information image data can besent, can be provided.

Also, according to the present invention, a communication apparatus andmethod which can send image data, which is obtained by reading an imageunder a predetermined condition, and converting the read image intoimage data into image data having a predetermined number of pixels,while describing a date, time, source e-mail address, destination name,and the like in that image data can be provided.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of the present inventioncan be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it isto be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificembodiments thereof except as defined in the claims.

1. A communication apparatus for making a facsimile communication via apacket communication network, comprising: mode detection means fordetecting whether a first or second operation mode is designated; imagedata acquisition means for acquiring image data having a predeterminedresolution; sending information acquisition means for acquiring sendinginformation of the image data; conversion means for, when the firstoperation mode is detected, converting the image data into image datahaving a predetermined number of pixels; generation means for, when thefirst operation mode is detected, generating sending information imagedata using the sending information; and sending means for, when thefirst operation mode is detected, generating an e-mail message on thebasis of the sending information, generating composite image data bycombining the converted image data and the sending information imagedata, and sending the e-mail message attached with the composite imagedata, and for, when the second operation mode is detected, generating ane-mail message on the basis of the sending information, and sending thee-mail message attached with the image data.